Nobody wants to be the victim of another driver’s bad driving. But when does a dodgy driver become dangerous?
Here’s how to identify dangerous driving in others and avoid driving dangerously yourself.
Dangerous driving puts other road users at risk. Section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 says it's when "driving falls far below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver and it would be obvious that driving in that way would be dangerous".
The Act also says that “dangerous” means “danger either of injury to any person or of serious damage to property”.
It can also be called 'careless driving' if the offence is less serious.
These are all other examples of dangerous driving:
The following causes of dangerous driving are specific offences in their own right:
Incidents which can be irritating but aren't necessarily dangerous include another driver:
Careless driving is similar to dangerous driving but it's less serious. It's when driving falls below, rather than far below, what would be expected of a competent and careful driver.
It can include driving in a way that's inconsiderate to other people if it inconveniences them. Careless driving doesn’t include situations where others are at risk of harm, as this would fall under dangerous driving.
Causing death by dangerous driving is the most serious dangerous driving offence. It’s when someone’s driving causes the death of another person.
Section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988 defines it as “A person who causes the death of another person by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, is guilty of an offence.”
The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years in prison as well as an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least 2 years. However, this is currently being reviewed by the government and could increase to life imprisonment.
Read about what to do if you see someone driving dangerously
Dangerous and careless driving have a range of penalties depending on how serious the offence was.
At the lower end of the scale, it could be a fine and points on your licence. If the driving was particularly dangerous, or if it hurt or killed somebody, the driver could go to court and face prison.
Here are the penalties in England, Wales and Scotland for dangerous and careless driving. The rules are slightly different in Northern Ireland. Find out more.
Cases of dangerous driving where other drivers are at risk of harm will always be sentenced in court.
Situations where you can be summsoned to court include:
These incidents might have been seen by a police officer, witnessed by a passer-by or other road user, or involved a collision.
If you witness someone driving dangerously, the best thing to do is report it to the police. It’ll help to keep yourself and other road users safe.
You can report it afterwards or ring 999 if the dangerous driving’s in progress and you think someone could get hurt.